Wrestling season preview, 2012-13: Timber Creek

Timber Creek graduated six starters from their highly ranked team that recorded wins over Hanover Park, Camden Catholic, Kittatinny, Bound Brook and Toms River South last season. Of those graduates, 120-pounder Ricky Carter and 170-pounder Robert Shade will be especially missed. Leading Timber Creek’s returning wrestlers into the 2012-2013 season is defending state finalist, Brandon Keller. Keller was 35-6 last season before losing to South Plainfield’s Scott DelVecchio in the 132-pound finals. Brandon Virgilio, Dom Ruggierrio and Bryce Shade make up one of the most prolific groups of middleweights in the state. Last year’s addition of John Amato, a transfer from Camden Catholic, still wasn’t enough to lift Timber Creek over South Plainfield in the Group 3 tournament.